A Mother's Love
by Airyfairy13
Summary: The first time Roland calls Regina 'Mama', she isn't even awake to hear it.


For OQ Happy Ending Week, herewith a tooth-decayingly sweet dose of marshmallow fluff.

* * *

The first time it happens, Regina isn't even awake to hear it.

It's the middle of night when Robin stirs, his senses alert. There's a small sound from across the room and his parent's instinct is telling him his son is in the room. Used to being woken at the slightest sound from his many years living as an outlaw, Robin is quite surprised that Roland has managed to make it all the way into their bedroom and round to Regina's side of the bed before he became aware of his presence. But then, should he really be surprised that a son of his is so adept at moving silently in the dark. As it is, it's not the opening of the door but the tiny whisper that pulls him from sleep.

He raises his head a fraction, making out the shadowy outline of his boy standing on the other side of the room by Regina's beside table, his stuffed monkey clutched under his arm. 'Mama,' he is urging, one little hand resting on the mattress. 'Mama, wake up.'

Robin's heart clutches in his chest at the sound of his son uttering that name but he pushes down the confused mixture of heart-wrenching sadness and devastated elation as he props himself up on his elbow and says softly, 'Roland? What's up my boy?'

He hears the tears starting to well up in his son's voice as he tries to whisper back, 'I had a bad dream, I don't want to be in my room on my own.'

Robin knows he should probably be made of sterner stuff, should insist on taking him back to his room, but it's not like Roland makes a habit of bunking in with them and Robin's never been particularly hot on discipline anyway. He sits up, pulling his side of the duvet back slightly as he gestures for Roland to move round the bed towards him, 'Come on in round here then, come in and sleep with Papa.'

But Roland shakes his head and Robin doesn't need the light to know his son's bottom lip will be pouting and wobbling. 'Nooo,' his whisper comes out as more of a whine this time, and he reaches for Regina's hand where it lies on the pillow, grasping her wrist with his little fingers, 'I want to sleep with Mama.'

The contact is what finally stirs her awake and before Robin has a chance to say anything further, she's turning onto her back slightly, reaching her hand out for his son, her voice thick and sleepy as she murmurs, 'Roland? What is it, sweetie?'

The boy's tearful voice sounds desperate now as he jigs up and down and rushes to explain, 'I had a bad dream. Monkey wanted me to ask if we could sleep in here with you.'

And then she's holding her corner of the covers back to make a space for him murmuring, 'Of course baby, come here.'

Roland doesn't need telling twice. He's clambering up onto the bed, thrusting Monkey in Regina's direction so he can free up both hands to pull himself up and in. And then he's burrowing into Regina's arms as she runs a hand over his sleep-mussed curls and presses a kiss to his forehead.

'Kiss for Monkey too,' comes Roland's slightly muffled voice from against her chest. Regina gives a soft chuckle and then she's bending to give the grey fur a soft peck before shushing him and stroking one hand up and down his back, lulling him back to drowsiness.

Robin reaches over to run his own hand over Roland's head before moving it back to rest on Regina's shoulder. 'You sure this is ok, love?' he murmurs into her hair.

'Of course, 'she smiles sleepily, turning her head towards him so he can drop a quick kiss on her lips. And then she's turning to settle back onto the pillow and Robin is settling in behind her, his arm draped over hers to cup his boy's cheek briefly before they all three drift back off to sleep.

* * *

The second time it happens Regina most definitely hears and Robin is privately very grateful that he's had a bit of time to process.

It's a few days later and they're down at the park, Robin and Regina sitting on a bench watching their boys play together. Roland is squealing in excitement as Henry chases him round the playground but then he rounds a corner too sharply and loses his footing. He falls hard onto his hands and knees, skidding slightly on the gritty tarmac.

There's a heart stopping moment of shocked silence before the tears start - loud, noisy sobs of surprise and pain. Robin and Regina are on their feet in seconds, dashing over to where he is now huddled over, cradling his skinned palms to his chest. Regina reaches him first and as she skids to a halt beside him, he lunges for her with a loud cry of 'Mama', diving into her waiting arms and leaving no one in any doubt who he means.

Regina scoops him to her and cuddles him close, and her anxious eyes find Robin's over Roland's head which is now tucked under her chin. She's been caught off guard - she's not sure she's supposed to react - and this is when Robin's thankful that this isn't such a surprise to him. It means he's able to give her a quick reassuring nod even as he's kneeling down beside them, his hand rubbing soothingly up and down Roland's back.

The nod seems to be all she needs for the time being because she's bending back down to Roland now, making soothing noises and rocking him back and forth. 'It's ok, it's ok,' she's saying as she reaches for his wrists and turns them ever so gently so she can see the damage.

'Can you make it better?' he warbles through his tears and she hugs him closer and tells him of course she can. With a kiss to his head and a wave of her hand the broken skin is mended and then Robin is pressing scratchy beardy kisses to his son's palms and then his knees and his neck and his cheeks and all over his little face until Roland is giggling at him to stop and pushing his father off him.

* * *

Hours later, after Henry has departed for his night with Emma, and the two Locksley men and Regina have returned home for a quiet evening in, Robin stands in the doorway to the sitting room, watching them together - his girl and his boy.

Regina is sitting on the sofa and Roland, tears and scraped hands long forgotten, is standing on the cushions next to her, one hand on her shoulder to balance himself as he rocks back and forward slightly, animatedly explaining how, when he has his own ice cream shop, he will make it so everyone can have free chocolate ice cream whenever they want. 'But if people want coconuts flavour they will still have to pay because I don't like it,' he is saying now, his fingers twisting into the arm of her sweater. Regina has a steadying hand on his torso, her smile light and warm as she praises his generosity but wonders how he will pay for the new ice cream once he's run out if he's going to give it all away for free.

Robin knows that smile, it's the one he's come to think of as her 'Henry smile'. The one she wears when she's listening to her son excitedly recount his first attempt with a bow and arrow, or when he produces his maths homework with bashful pride, a large red B+ in the corner.

Watching her with his son, Robin realises with a jolt that Roland has now known Regina as long as he knew Marian - not counting those months with Zelena in New York, which have thankfully been magically wiped from Roland's memory. It's a startling realisation but as he lets it sink in, he realises it shouldn't then have come as a surprise that 'Mama' and 'Regina' have become blurred in his young mind.

For two years now Regina has been the one to soothe his nightmares, heal his hurts and listen to his stories. Even from those first weeks after her return to the Enchanted Forest, when she had been splintered and broken by grief, she'd still been able to find smiles for his little boy. She'd still managed to conjure puffs of sparkling magic to entertain him and to tell him stories until his eyelids drooped on the frequent evenings when Robin had had to miss bedtime in order to remain on patrol. When he thinks of that now, is it any wonder his son has started crying for her when he's scared or upset?

Again he feels that confused swoop of grief and love and this time he gives himself a little more time to examine it. The thought of Marian - the real Marian - not being able to cuddle their son, to raise him, to see the boy he's growing up to be, is gut-wrenching. And the realisation that Roland is forgetting her is nothing short of heart breaking.

But nothing anyone can do will ever be able to bring Marian back - lord how he knows that's true - so if Roland _is_ to grow up without her, then it seems a cruel waste to deny him someone who will love him like a son. Not a replacement for Marian - never that - but someone to shower him with a mother's affection. And who better for that than the woman he loves, his soulmate.

...

Regina seems to sense someone watching them and she turns her head, half an eye still on Roland who seems to be asking if they can go for ice cream now please. Robin's smile broadens and warmth spreads in his chest as she smiles at him standing in the doorway before turning back fully to Roland and telling him, 'It's a bit late to go now sweetheart but why don't we have some here?'

He nods vigorously, bouncing on the sofa cushion in excitement as he asks, 'And can I watch Dragons?' She gives a soft laugh as she agrees and then she's giving him a soft pat so she can reach past him for the remote, flicking through until she finds where they've recorded Roland's new favourite movie and then he's flopping down to sit on the sofa cushions and settling in for what feels like his hundredth viewing of _How To Train Your Dragon_.

Half an hour has passed and Roland is happily sitting on the carpet in front of the TV, his head tipped back, big brown eyes fixed on the film flickering in front of him even as he unsteadily manoeuvres ice cream into his mouth from the orange bowl ('my ice cream bowl') nestled in his lap. Having reassured himself that all is well, Robin moves through to the kitchen where he finds Regina peeling some potatoes for what is soon to become their dinner.

She looks up as he enters the room, shooting him an easy smile and a soft 'hey'.

He doesn't reply, just walks towards her and reaches forward to lightly grasp her wrists, ignoring the soft laugh and the 'Robin, what are you doing?' as he removes the peeler and half-peeled potato from her hands and sets them down on the kitchen counter.

'This.' he says simply before pulling her in towards him and giving her a lingering kiss.

Her arms go round him and he feels her lips curve up in a smile as she kisses him back once, twice, three times before moving to step away. He's not willing to let her go yet though so he keeps his arms firm, holding her to him.

She laughs and squirms in his grip slightly, 'Robin, let me go, I have dinner to make.'

He's still beaming down at her as he murmurs, 'In a minute,' before swooping down to kiss her once more.

This time when she pulls back she doesn't try to pull away, she just asks, 'What's got into you?'

He shrugs slightly, his arms still round her, 'I just love you that's all.'

She smiles and ducks her head slightly before she's looking back up at him, an edge of anxiety in her gaze. 'Robin, about what Roland said earlier—'

'Regina, don't worry—'

'Please, let me just say this.'

He nods, pressing his lips together, waiting.

'I love Roland so much,' she continues. 'He's such a sweet boy. But I promise, I'm not trying to replace Marian. I know I couldn't replace her, even if I wanted to. Which I promise you Robin, I don't. I think Roland's just got a bit confused.'

'Regina,' he says, pulling away slightly so he can cup her face with his hands, his thumbs stroking over her cheekbones, 'I know you're not trying to replace Marian.' He kisses her gently, trying to reassure her, before going on to explain. 'Is there a part of me that is devoted that Roland won't remember his mother? Of course. But it doesn't change the fact that nothing warms my heart so much as seeing you two together and knowing that he has someone as brave, as devoted and as fiercely loyal as you looking after him. How could I want to deprive him of that? Regina, Roland loves you,' he grins. 'It appears it runs in the family.'

A smile has spread across her face as he's been talking but then it fades as her gaze drops and her teeth sink into her bottom lip. 'Be that as it may, don't you think we should explain to him that I'm not his Mama?'

He shakes his head and places one finger under her chin to tip her gaze back up to meet his. 'Quite frankly, he's lost one mother, I'm loathe to try and rip another one from him.'

'But—'

'Henry has two Moms, doesn't he? And now Roland has two Mamas. I don't see the problem.'

He seems to have her there. She opens her mouth to argue, but then closes it again, seemingly at a loss for a retort. There's a first time for everything it seems.

He presses his advantage, using her silence to add, 'He'll hear about Marian. Me and John and the rest of the Merry Men, we'll make sure he hears all the stories. We'll keep her alive for him.' He lifts a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear before stroking down her cheek with the backs of his fingers, 'But if it's not too much to ask, would you mind awfully taking on my son as your own?'

She smiles again, a joyful, melty thing as she says, 'I'd be honoured, Robin.' And how can he keep from kissing her after that?

* * *

Regina is just opening a bottle of wine to breathe as she waits for their dinner to finish cooking when Robin says he'll take Roland up for bath and bedtime.

He pecks a kiss to her cheek as he passes and swipes a strawberry from the carton where they sit on the side, waiting for her to hull and slice them for their dessert.

The next thing she hears is the television being switched off before a playful roar and Roland's excited squeal as Robin swoops to lift his son and toss him in the air.

'Come on my boy, let's get you in the bath and into bed.'

The squeal turns into a high noise of protest but then Robin is sweetening the deal with the promise of a story before he goes to sleep, and that seems to mollify Roland if the little 'ok' of agreement is anything to go by.

Their voices are getting quieter now as they move towards the stairs and away from the kitchen but Regina still hears Roland as he says, 'Is Mama coming?' and Robin's smiling voice as he replies, 'Yes son, she'll be right up. Now come on, let's get you in the bath.'

* * *

I hope you enjoyed it - please leave a review, I'd love to hear from you.


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